Device for synthesizing gases.



W. SIEBERT. DEVICE ron SYNTHESIZING GASES.

APPLICATION FILED APB. 9, 190B. 1,73,823.

Patented Sept. 23,1913.

'. tilator fan WERNER SIEBERT, OF BHEINFELDEN, G

WEBKE G. M. E, OF BERLIN, GERMANY,

nssrenon :ro

A. CORPORATION OF GERMANY.

.nEvIcn ron smnns'rzms GASES1 To all whom it may concern:

' Beit known that I, Wanna: Smenn'r, a

subject of the King of Prussia, residing at Rheinfclden, Baden, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for synthesizing Gases, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a further development of the method described in my application for Letters Patent for improvements in devices for synthesizing gases, filed February 5, 1908, Serial No. 414,318. In this application I have described a method for synthesizing gases such as nitrogen compounds by electrical flame discharges, which are caused to rotate in'the ring-shaped space between an outer and an inner electrode by the air driven through the furnace by a venor by pipes or nozzles tangentially arranged. The disk-shaped flame discharges produced between concentric conducting rings can be formed not only by electric currents at a tension of several thousand volts, as mentioned in that application,

but also by electric currents of more than 50 amperes at a tension of several hundred volts, say 300 to 400 volts. The minimum appliable tension of the current depends upon the distance between the electrodes.

This distance is for example about from 9 to 10 centimeters for a current of about 60 amperes at a tension of 200 volts, and about from 13 to 14 centimeters for a current of i 100 to 150 amperes at a tension of 350 volts.

According to my present invention flame discharges of conical shaped second electrode located outside of the plane of theannulus.

I will proceed to describe my invention with reference to accompanying drawings,-

section through the air inlet openings 9 of Fig. 1.

The cylindrical furnace a is-preferably lined with a highly refractory material. Air is introduced into the furnace in the same manner as described in my said prior application, viz. by means of pipes or nozzles g. With the aid of a subsidiary electrode form are produced between an annular outer electrode and a rodfurnace suitable for carrying out the specification of Letters Patent Patented Sept. 23, 1913. Animation med April 9, 1909. Serial no. 488,828.

(not shown) the are is drawn from the rodshaped electrode 1 to the annular electrode 6, along which it will then move under the influence of the strong rotary movement of the air, so that it forms a conical flame. The flame obtained in this manner with strong currents at low tension is so stable as to render unnecessary the permanent use of an additional rod, such as shown in my prior application, for continually igniting the flame when using high tension currents.

To illustrate the proportions of a satisfactory apparatus the following data are given for example: The potential difference between the two electrodes b and 1 in the furnace is about 230 volts and the current is about 150 amperes; the diameter of the ring I) is about 26 centimeters and its distance from the other electrode 1 about '50 centimeters. For larger currents the distance between the two electrodes 6 and 1 can be increased, but in this case the potential difi'erence should be at least several volts per centimeter of distance of separation of the electrodes.

The escaping gases pass through a narrow" annular openmg provided in the furnace wall into' the space we surroundingthe furnacc, into which the flame extends for several centimeters, able cooling pipes an appropriate chilling of the gases gases are sucked oif through the pipe 71-.

The described method and apparatus ren-' der possible the formation of extensive flames with low pressure currents, the results obtained being amazing, especially in view of the fact that one versed in the art would not expect to produce a stable arc of more than 50 centimeters in length at a tension as low as 300 to 400 volts, merely by introducing air tangentially to the surface of revolution of the are, by means of tangentially arranged nozzles or the like. The mentioned employment of large currents at low tension further produces quite considerable and essential advantages for the purpose of gas reactions.

Comparative trials have shown that the flame discharge can have a larger surface area by this method than can be obtained with the same amountof energy at high so that by means of suitcan be 'efi'ected. The chilled tension. Therefore, a greater quantity of air or other gas can be passed t. rough the furnace and an output larger than is pos sible by the other method can be obtained.

What I claim as new is:

1. The method of producing electric flame discharges of large energy consumption between two electrodes in different planes by means of a large current at a low voltage per unit distance of separation of the electrodes, which consists in drawing out the are by gradually separating the electrodes, and simultaneously causing the arc to. be rapidly rotated to assume the form of a SllI'-' face of revolution by streams of gases.

2. The method of producing electric flame discharges of large energy consumption between two electrodes in different planes by means of a large current at a low voltage per unit distance of separation of the electrodes, which consists in drawing out the are by gradually separating the electrodes,

and simultaneously causing the arc to be rapidly rotated to assume the form of a surface of revolution by introducing the gases to be synthesized tangentially to the surface of revolution.

3. The method of producing electric flame discharges of conical form and of large energy consumption between an annular electrode and an electrode outside of the plane of the annulus by means of a large current at a low voltage per unit distance of separation of the electrodes, which consists in drawing out the are by gradually separating the electrodes and simultaneously causing the arc to be rapidly rotated by the gases to be synthesized.

4. In an electric flame discharge furnace, two electrodes located in different planes, and means for introducing gases tangentially to an are formed between said electrodes, whereby said are is rapidly rotated to assume the form of a surface of revolution. 7

5. In an electric flame discharge *furnace, an annular electrode, a second electrode located outside of the plane of the annulus, and inlets for the gases to be synthesized, said inlets being arranged tangentially to the surface of revolution of an are formed between said electrodes, whereby said are is rapidly rotated to assume a conical form.

6. An electric flame discharge furnace comprising an outer shell, an annular electrodewithin said shell, a cylindrical electrode projecting within said shell, a plurality of inlets arranged tangentially to the surface of revolution of an are formed between said electrodes and'passages for the discharge of the gases.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature,

in the presence of two witnesses.

WERNER SIEBERT. Witnesses ARNOLD ZUBER, Geo. GIFFORD. 

